Kraven

This weekend has snuck up on me. I’ve yet to prepare throughout the week about what game(s) I’ve been playing. The tl;dr version is Divinity Original Sin 2. I’m in Act 2 now, and let me just state for the record - the opening hour left me devastated. I truly wasn’t expecting the implications of my choices to play such a pivotal role fairly early in the game, but I was wrong. But hey, I can talk to ghosts now, so that’s cool.

One of my favorite franchises. I hope they enjoy their well deserved break, and come back with a new announcement of some sort, or Switch 2 upgrades for their current games.

I made this comment over on PushSquare, so I’ll repeat it here:

I dislike the use of AI, but I also see a couple benefits. In my opinion, BG3 is one of the greatest games ever made. Up until now, nobody had a clue that AI was used in some of their work. So, the question is, why is it a big deal all of a sudden? Does it somehow make the game lesser than? No. The same goes with Clair Obscur. I’m not saying I am for AI — I am definitely not — but I’m wise enough to know that it will make some lives easier regarding game development, and if the recent articles leaking out about BG3 and Clair Obscur were never brought to the light then everyone would still be praising the games, none the wiser.

I need to get around to playing this. I did play about two hours and enjoyed my time with it, but got distracted by life and never went back. Maybe I’ll jump into it during the first week of January.

This list is a good reminder that this year had some absolute gems. Absolum, Hades 2, Donkey Kong, Hollow Knight Silksong, Ball x Pit, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Cyberpunk 2077, The Hundred Line (these are all games I played on Switch), and there is many more. Choosing a GoTY is difficult unless you are talking about exclusives, and if that’s the case Xenoblade Chronicles X takes the crown by a country mile. If we are discussing second and third party games on the Switch 2, Silksong is GoTY. As a whole (all consoles included), Clair Obscur Expedition 33 takes home the crown. I got the platinum for it on the PS5 and loved every second. I hope it gets a Switch 2 port.

I forgot this game came out this year. I really enjoyed it although there were several headscrathing moments. I don’t buy physical games ever, but I did with this one because it came with a Pip doll that my daughter wanted real bad.

My Switch 2 GoTY is Hollow Knight Silksong. It was such an incredible experience, and I’m excited for its upcoming DLC.

Other games that are runner ups include: Cyberpunk 2077, Divinity Original Sin 2, Absolum, Ball x Pitt, Hades 2, Cronos The New Dawn, and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

This weekend I am playing Divinity Original Sin 2 for the first time. I’m unsure why it took me so long to sample it considering BG3 is one of my all time favorite games. My assumption was that Baldur’s Gate 3 was a culmination of the Divinity franchise, so am I really missing anything? The answer is a resounding yes.

I had the day off work Tuesday and zero obligations for the day, so I decided why not. What I thought would be an hour of time wasted before returning back to Night City turned out to be eight hours—my wife’s entire work shift—and I’ve just now left Fort Joy.

I’m already attached to the party members I have. Their questlines have started off significantly strong, and with the brief quests I’ve tackled in the first area, I can see how my decisions will more than likely have long-lasting implications.

What I find impressive is how rich and alive the world feels. There is an abundant amount of options to approach each quest. This level of player freedom provides an immense level of independence that results in reactionary results from NPCs and the game world. The world is your oyster, and it’s up to you on how it turns out.

With that said, I hope there is an option to respec your character. More often than not I struggle in RPGs with making particular builds—whether that’s from equipment, what stats and attributes to give each character, and party composition. I could remedy this by watching YouTube tutorials but it dampens my experience with discovering things myself.

My only complaints are the mission structure, but that’s becoming easier to navigate and understand; and the controls. It’s a bit archaic in terms of managing party members and equipment - it is clearly meant for PC (I’m playing on the Nintendo Switch 2) so I can’t fault it entirely. Nonetheless, those grievances are minuscule compared to the overall product.

I don’t understand how Larian does it, but they are masters of their craft. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them, but I can presume it will turn out incredible.

Hopefully the game runs well on the Switch 2. These days it’s always hit or miss. Regardless, I’m looking forward to it.

Cyberpunk might be one of the most impressive ports I’ve ever seen. Moreover, it’s an incredible game overall. I’m also playing DoS2 right now and it’s been sensational.

Hell yeah; this game rules, and is one of my favorites of the year.

This is awesome! I thought about picking it up on the PS5, but I was holding out hope for a Switch 2 release because it seems like the perfect handheld game. I’m glad to see my patience paid off; I can’t wait for this.

I’ll be playing this game for the first time later this evening. I’m really excited; BG3 is one of my all time favorites.

GOAT status. I’ll be there as soon as it releases.

@Fiq_Strife You and me both. If I take that game on the go I will be so happy. I’m sure they will eventually port it.

Awesome news! I haven’t played this game but have been tempted to get it for the Switch 2 despite how blurry it looks. I guess there is no reason not to hold back now. I’ll be picking this up later this evening! I can’t wait to see what the hype is all about — BG3 is one of my favorite games of all time.

I’m killing thugs and stopping conspiracies in Phantom Liberty, and Hasta La Vista’ing my way through Terminator 2D: No Fate.

I’m content with this decision. I’m excited to see how this plays out—it looks like a fantastic entry to the franchise. Hopefully, this game sells well on the Switch 2 and motivates Capcom to port over the RE4 Remake.

I’m a little bummed that Diablo 4 didn’t get announced Switch 2 port announcement, and I wish there was more 3rd party Switch related content. Overall, though, it was a good show and a lot of great game announcements.

All the negatives sound like positives to me, and the positives alone have me making the purchase. I was planning to buy this game regardless of scores or price, so I’m looking forward to playing later this evening.

I’d love to have this as a poster—it is gorgeous.

It’s kind of surprising since both are niche franchises, but it’s to be expected. Overall, great numbers for the Switch 1&2.

It feels like an old-school The Legend of Zelda game in terms of dungeons/keys. I’m personally enjoying it quite a bit. I’d rank it an 8/10, with the 1st Prime game being the pinnacle of the series. However, MP4 is nowhere near a bad game.

@LinktotheFuture Thank you for saying this; it is much needed in a space (gaming) where I’ve never met more of an entitled bunch.

Sure, why not, I’ll buy and play it again.

This will be a day one for me.

Tomb Raider for me. Demonschool, a game I had been looking forward to for years, disappointed me big time. Oh, well, not every game can be a hit and that’s okay. I’m glad other people have been enjoying it!

In terms of Switch related games, Hades 2, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Silksong are my top choices. As for an overall pick, Clair Obscur is my GOTY.

It’s been quite the month, from my car wreck, to my mother in law passing, and this week(end) I’m in Tennessee and Georgia for a wedding. It was a 13 hour journey, but it’s been fun so far.

Meanwhile, I have my Switch 2 with me and I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077. I played it on the PS5 and got the platinum for it. Even still, I can’t believe how damn good this game is on the Switch 2. It’s hands down one of the most immersive experiences I’ve had. It’s gorgeous, and plays smooth as hell. Additionally, I’ve realized I hadn’t actually played the Phantom Liberty DLC, so it feels like a fresh playthrough.

In addition, I’m playing Metroid Prime 4. I’m only a few hours in, and whilst it is quite linear at the moment, I find it to be wonderful. Personally, it invokes the same feelings I had when I first played Halo: Combat Evolved. I know there are issues—empty desert, chatty NPCs, and linear dungeons—but these things haven’t swayed my opinion negatively.

MP4 may not innovate the genre forward or have any revolutionary mechanics, but I don’t need it to. All I wanted was more Prime Metroid, and that is what I have gotten. The game still has the feeling of isolation, and very atmospheric locales. This is all bolstered by excellent sound design and a superb soundtrack.

It may not be worth the 18-year wait, but I’ll always take more Metroid over no Metroid.

I absolutely love it. For me, it feels like a genuine “next gen” console from Nintendo. And while I do love Nintendo IPs, these last six months has had me playing more titles handheld than PS5, which is saying a lot. For example, Cronos The New Dawn is sublime, and Trails in the Sky plays perfectly. And now I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077 and am blown away by how smooth the game runs and plays. It’s truly a mind blowing experience, and this is coming from someone who got the platinum for it on PS5. These little experiences are what really sell me on the console.

@JRM9 Imagine being this mad at a free update for existing owners.

One of my favorite games of all time. I’m looking forward to revisiting the Old West again.

@johnedwin On OpenCritic it’s at 82% which is good. Sure, you can have higher expectations, but what expectations did you have? Did you really expect Metroid to reinvent the wheel for the genre, or were you expecting more of the same? It’s a double edged sword. If anyone is familiar with the Prime games, it’s essentially a FPS-Halo-like. That type of gameplay may feel outdated now—not bad, but generic, all things considered—but it’s classic Metroid. And all of the typical trappings for Metroid are present here. I don’t really see how people are bent out of shape for having high expectations that nobody ever seems to elaborate on.

I guess for people an 80% average is not good. Good lord. I understand that people have higher expectations for a Nintendo first party IP, but it’s obviously not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination.

I have no idea why people were so concerned—I had no doubt, and I’m glad my feelings are justified. I can’t wait!

Looks like it’s getting better. I hope it plays well in handheld because that’s my preferred method of gaming. To me, I feel if CP2077 can run smooth as hell with incredible graphics on the switch 2, so can Elden Ring.

I’m stoked this game turned out well! It’s finally able to be purchased on the eShop, so I have it downloaded and ready to play while on my lunch break at work today.

This month is packed for me. Marvel Cosmic Invasion (releases today), Red Dead Redemption Switch 2 update is tomorrow, and Metroid Prime 4 in a couple of days. And with Terminator releasing soon as well, I’ll be swamped with a handful of potentially great games for the holiday.

@Anti-Matter More power to you. I buy all my games digitally and prefer it that way, but it’s cool to see someone stick to their guns on the issue.

I would like to eventually pick this up, but I’m afraid that I’ll get overwhelmed by the amount of meaningless bloat there is, or find the dialogue poorly written, and turn the game off. Maybe once it’s on sale for 20 dollars I might bite the bullet. It does look great.

Hello, Night City!

That’s right, chooms, I’m back in the city. My name is V, and I’m a katana wielding, net-running street-kid specialist, and brain-dancing my way to solving issues my way.

Seriously, though, Cyberpunk 2077 is peak gaming. I spent over 100 hours in the PS5 version, and got the platinum. I don’t know what compelled me to return to this world, but I’ve heard nothing but positives about the Nintendo Switch 2 version so I decided to buy it and see for myself.

This isn’t hyperbole—it’s an absolute jaw dropping experience. I’ve been playing exclusively on handheld and feel more immersed than previously before. I’m truly blown away by how well it runs, the graphics, and silky smooth gameplay. From here on out this should be the gold standard for future ports to this system, and it’s a testament to how good the S2 can be if given proper treatment.

It’s times like these where I’m glad graphics and frame rate don’t bother me. I’ve been playing this game exclusively on handheld and it has been fantastic for me. Granted, there are areas for improvement, but my experience hasn’t been hampered by any issues the game has.

I won’t be tuning in. The release date is so close that it doesn’t even make sense to spoil my own experience early.

Great review. I have to agree with your sentiments completely. I’ve been having a blast with this game. I really hope the subsequent games in the series gets ported.

Looks like it’s the perfect time to jump back in and do a replay. I hope it will eventually have a Switch 2 upgrade—along with all the Xenoblade games—but this is satisfying enough for me.

This is peak. I am stoked for this to release!

Well, at least that shows Nintendo has some level of confidence in the game!

This past month has been quite the rollercoaster of emotions. I mentioned several weeks ago I totaled my car and broke my back. I’m slowly recovering, but yesterday my mother-in-law passed away. As me and my wife’s pastor said, we are going through a season.

In terms of what I’ve been playing, I’m still captivated by Hades 2. So far, I’ve completed approximately 75 nights — or runs, rather — and have defeated the “final boss” a handful of times. I use quotations because there is a ton of game here that I don’t want to spoil the surprise(s) in the culmination of events.

In addition, one of my most anticipated games of the last few years finally released: Demonschool. Unfortunately, I’m massively disappointed with my experience. I didn’t have unrealistic expectations, or presumed it would be on par with Persona, albeit pixelated, but the writing is astonishingly bland and generic. And the characters are one dimensional, with the life-sim aspects spent between characters never really evolving into something worth caring for.

On another note, Tomb Raider Definitive Edition shadow dropped for the Switch and I immediately picked it up. There is something whimsical about playing a sprawling adventure exploring a mysterious island, uncovering lost tombs, discovering diaries and treasures, while in portable mode. And honestly, as much as I thoroughly enjoyed it back in 2014, it’s even better than I remember.

Lastly, Stalker 2, one of my favorite games of last year released on the PS5 a couple of days ago. I figured since I’m mentally in a state of depression why not go full throttle and immerse myself into a post apocalyptic Chernobyl exclusion zone where it’s a struggle to survive.

Happy soon to be Thanksgiving, everybody!

This is day one for me—it looks awesome, and if it’s anything like the original Vampire Survivors, it’ll be just as addicting.

I’ve played the first two hours so far and it’s been great. I’m playing handheld only (Switch 2) and it runs flawlessly. There are a few texture pop-ins, but nothing to really stand out. I’m very pleased with the experience so far. There is something about playing an adventure, finding treasure, reading lost diaries/notes, that feels perfect for portable play.